Working with doctors is important when applying for SSD

On behalf of Slepian Smith, PLLC on Thursday, March 7, 2019.

It’s extremely important to work with your doctors when applying for Social Security Disability benefits. This is especially true if your benefits application has been denied and you are filing an appeal.

Your doctors will help convey the severity of your condition and provide the necessary medical records that are required to have your application or appeal approved by the Social Security Administration.

In order for your doctors to do this, you must visit regularly and let them know about all of the symptoms that you are experiencing so that they can be documented in your medical records. This is the basis for your disability claim.

Never downplay your symptoms or tell a doctor that you feel fine if you do not. This can come back to hurt you in the disability application or appeal process. Always describe every symptom in detail to make sure that it is properly documented over time, regardless if you are seeing the same doctor or different doctors.

What if my doctor tells me I am not disabled?

In some cases, doctors impose their own opinions on whether they think a patient is disabled and whether they think the patient will qualify for disability benefits. It’s important to remember that doctors usually have very little knowledge of what’s required under the law to obtain disability benefits. In other words, a doctor may tell you that you are not disabled even though you meet the legal standard for obtaining benefits.

What if my doctor isn’t being helpful with forms or records?

An experienced disability attorney can be very effective at communicating directly with your doctors on your behalf to help them understand what is needed and why. This is one of the many benefits of having an attorney on your side during the application or appeal process.

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